It is often desired to make the vamp, or upper portion of shoes from lightweight materials, since the thinner materials are more flexible and are cooler to wear. Often the shoes are unlined, to maximize these properties. However, it has been found that unlined leather shoes, particularly those made with the flesh side of the leather in the interior of the shoe, tend to catch or hold stockings of the wearer when the foot is inserted in the shoe. The leather may hold on to the stockings, creating wrinkles and sometimes pulling holes in the stockings.
In addition, the unlined leather shoe provides very little support to the foot and is free to stretch. In a very short time the shoe can stretch so that it loses its desired shape and esthetic appeal.
Applicant has conducted a search and has found the following references which disclosed lined shoes. The disclosures of the following are incorporated by reference herein. U.S. Pat. No. 1,533,668; U.S. Pat. No. 1,604,355; U.S. Pat. No. 2,088,158; U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,479; U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,987 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,870.
Applicant has devised a shoe which can be light in weight and can use a single layer of leather throughout a substantial portion of the vamp of the shoe to achieve comfort and lightness in weight of the shoe typical of an unlined shoe, but provides the support to the shoe in the metatarsal area and resists distortion substantially as does a lined shoe. In addition, a smooth inner surface can be provided on the foot side of the shoe which will not wrinkle, pull or catch on to stockings on the feet of the wearer.
These and other advantages will be apparent from the description of the preferred embodiments and from the drawings.